Machine for forming wire stays.



J. P. KITCHEN.

MACHINE FOR. FORMING WIRE STAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1912.

1 1 1 8,0 1 9 Patented Nov. 24:, 1914:.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES. n INVENTOR W. 0? 141% Y 7 I v ATTORN E Y THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTONv D. C

J. F. KITCHEN. MACHINE FOR FORMING WIRE STAYS. APPLIoAiloN FILED JULY 25, 1912. 1,1 13,01 9, Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 WITNESSES.

W i w. M BY M%%l5.

ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO" PHOTU-LITHO" WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron JOHN P. KITCHEN, or MEAnvrLLE, PENNsYfcvANrA, AssIeNoR TO THE SPIRELLA coMPANY, or MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' MACHINE FOR FORMING WIRE STAYS.

Application filed July 25, 1912. I Serial No; 711,512.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. KITCHEN, a resident of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Forming Wire Stays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for ending wire back and forth into a series of successive oppositely disposed loops to form a flat wire spring particularly designed for corset stays.

, The object of the invention is to simplify and improve machines of the character stated, and to provide a machine with a combined wire guiding and bending member which both guides the wire to, and bends it around, loop-forming pins, said member being adjustable with relationto the loo'p forming pins, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, on the line 1--1, Fig. 2, of a machine constructed. according to my invention; vFig. 2 is a. plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. a is a detail elevation, illustrating the bender arm and shaft adjusted to a different position from that illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1.

The machine is provided with a suitable base or support 1 upon which are erected standards 2, 3 and 4 to support the various parts of the mechanism. Upon a transverse shaft 5 in the standard 2 are fulcrumed a pair of levers 6 carrying pin blocks '7 on which are mounted pins 8 around which the wire is coiled in the formation of the stay,

said levers being operated by cams 9 carried a by the main driving shaft 13. The holes in the levers 6, through which the fulcrum 5 passes, are slightly elongated to form slots, as shown at 5 to allow said levers to have a slight longitudinal movement in addition to. their oscillating movement on the pivot bar 5. Above the pin blocks? and c0ipcrating therewith is a presser foot 10, pivotally supported at one end in the standard 2- and, at its other end, resting upon the upper face of the stay as it is coiled around the pins 8. This presser foot is held rigidly 1 Patented 24,1

in contact with the stay being formed by means ofa cross bar 11 and an adjusting screw 12 hearing against the ,presser vfoot. The main shaft 13 of the machine issuitably driven from one end and through connecting gears 1 1 drives a second shaft 15 rotatable inthe standard 3 and carrying an oval cam 16 arranged to reciprocate a sliding hammer 17 which cooperates with an adjustable fixed hammer 18 to straighten the stay after it is formed and take the curvature out of thesame. In the same standard 3 are-mounted a pair of feeding rollers 19 which are .geared to rotate in unison, and one ofwhich is driven, as by gear 20, from the shaft 15. v V

The machine/ described to this point is substantially the same as thatshownin the PatentNo. 1,009,323, granted November 28,

1,911, to M arcus'M. Beeman, and operates in substantially the same manner.

In the present machine one of the principal features 50f novelty is that the wire is guided to the loop forming pins 8 and is bent around the same by a single bending member which is arranged to oscillate back and forth from side to side of the machine about an axis preferably located in the vertical median plane of the machine. In the embodiment shown the oscillating member comprises a'hook shaped yoke or arm 26 secured to the lower'end of an axis or shaft 27 which is rotatablymounted in-a standard 28 secured to or forming part of the standard 2. At-its lower end the yoke 26 is provided with ahollowtubular hardened steel nose through which the wire is led-and by which it is bent around the loop-forming pins 8. A suitable tension device, shown as comprising a flat leaf-spring 30, is mounted upon the arm 26 to keep the wire taut as it is fed to the loop-forming pins. Preferably. the wire is supplied to the bender from a spool supported above the machine and from which the wire is led through a slot or aperture 31 in the shaft 27 to the tension de vice 30.

The combined guide and bender 26 may be oscillated back and forth to bend the wire around the loop forming pins 8 by any suitable means, for example, a sheave or pulley 35 fixed to the shaft 27 and around which are coiled several turns of a flexible driving member 36 suitably'secured at a median point to the sheave, and which may thereto as at 40.

be either a wire, cord, chain, band or like device. Rotatable in suitable bearings in the standard 4 is a shaft 37 carrying a pair of sheaves or pulleys 38 and 39, several turns of the opposite ends or strands of the flexible driving member 36 being coiled around said sheaves in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 2, and suitably secured Suitable means is con nected to one strand of the driving member 36 between the sheaves 38 and 39 and the sheave 35 to rotate the sheave 35 alternately in opposite directions In the embodiment shown this comprises a segment ll carried by an arm as which is mounted upon and oscillates around the shaft 13, one strand of the member 36 being flexibly secured to the segment as at 43. The arm 42 is oscillated back and forth by a link 44 pivotally connected thereto at one end, as at 62, and, at its other end, connected to an eccentric or crank pin a5 mounted upon the gear 14;. Rotation of the shaft 15 oscillates the arm 42 back and forth and rotates the sheave and shaft 27 alternately in opposite directions. Thus when the arm l2 moves toward the shaft 27, it unwinds the driving cord 36 from the sheave 38 and rotates the shaft 37. The rotation of this shaft winds the other strand of the cord 36 upon the sheave 39 and thus rotates the sheave 35 in one direction. \Vhen the arm 42 moves in the other direction it rotates the sheave 35 in the opposite direction and this in turn unwinds the cord 36 from the sheave 39 and winds up its other end upon the sheave 38.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The wire A. passes through the slot 31 and under the tension device 30 and through the guide and bender nose 29 to the pin blocks 7, and is looped around the forward pin 8 of the block which is in the elevated position, where it is clamped tightly in place between said block and the presser foot 10. The shaft 27 is then rotated by the mechanism described to swing the bender nose 29 toward that side of the ma chine on which the pin block is depressed. If its amplitude of swing is suilicient it carries the wire across over the depressed pin block and underneath a previously formed loop on the other side of the machine. The depressed pin block then ascends and catches the wire which was carried transversely between its two loop forming pins 8 and clamps it tightly against the presser foot 10, one of the pins 3 entering a previously formed loop or eye. After this pin block has fully ascended the other pin block descends and the mechanism described then causes the bender 29 to swing toward the other side of the machine and carries the wire back across and over the now lowered pin block and under a previously formed loop on that side of the machine, thus finishing one complete cycle of operation of the machine. In connection with the foregoing it will of course be understood that the feed of the wire fabric through the machine is accomplished in the same manner and by the same means as in the prior Beeman patent referred to.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the end of the hollow tubular nose 29 is placed a short distance from the axis of the shaft 27, thereby causing the open end of the hollow nose, during rotation or oscillation of the shaft, to swing around the axis of the shaft and from side to side of the machine. Preferably this distance is adjusted to be substantially the same or a little more than the length of one of the crossings or transverse portions of the finished stay. In order to provide for ready replacement the hollow nose is made separate and detachable. In the embodiment shown the end 4:6 of the yoke 26 is tapered or conical and the tube 29 is held in a groove in the yoke by a tapered or conical sleeve 47 which is forced endwise onto the end of the yoke to rigidly clamp the tube in place. By loosening the sleeve 47 from the end of the yoke the tube may also be adjusted endwise in its slot to vary the distance of its end from the axis around which the swinging bender oscillates. The present machine is also so constructed that the swinging bender or guide may be adjusted to oscillate around any point near the loop forming pins 8 and with varying amplitude of oscillation. The axis or shaft 27, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is in the median plane of the machine and of the stay being formed, and is also inclined, in this median vertical plane, to the general plane of the stay being formed or to that of the pin carrying blocks. This causes the wire to be bent around the pins 8 at an inclination to the general plane of the stay and permits successive loops or eyes to be pushed under each other to overlap, giving the finished stay a shingled appearance when viewed edgewise, as in Fig. 1. The degree of inclination of the shaft 27, and the amount of tilt thereby given to the loops, may be varied, and for this purpose the shaft 27 is adjustablymounted in any suitable manner in the bracket or standard 28 carrying the same. In the embodiment shown the shaft 27 rotates in a bearingmember t8, having flat sides suitably clamped or rigidly held between a pair of arms -l9 formed on the upper end of the bracket 28. These arms are provided with a number of oppositely disposed pairs of apertures 50 therein, through which suitable clamping bolts may be passed to secure the bearing member 4:8 in adjusted position. To vary the tilting of the loops with respect to each other, the bearing member 1-8 is bodily moved between. the arms as to a position giving the proper inclination of the shaft.

27 with respect to the general plane of the stay, and the bearing member is then clamped inthis position in the manner described.

The amount of overlap of successive loops upon each other may be varied by changing the relative distances between the pins 8 and also varying the amplitude of oscillation of the bender 26 and its shaft to cause it to swing in a longer or shorter path, and therefore push the wire more or less underthe previously formed loops, This may be accomplished by suitably varying the amplitude of oscillation of the arm 42 and the segment or sector 41 which operate the shaft 27. In the form shown, the pivot 62, connecting the link 44 which oscillates arm 42, is adjustable in a radial slot 63 therein, thus varying the throw of the arm.

The bearing member 48 which supports the shaft 27 may be adjusted in all directions in the vertical median plane of the machine. Consequently, the swinging bender 26 and shaft 27 may be adjusted in a straight line longitudinally of the shaft, whereby the bender may be properly alined vertically with respect to the stay being formed. This adjustment also permits the tubular nose 29 to be so positioned, with respect to the stay being formed, as to receiveminimum rub bin and friction from the wire, which is bent around and runs over the side edgesv of the opening in the tube as it osclllates from side to side of the machine to bend the wire around the pins.

The same construction above described permits the bearing member 48 to be bodily adjusted horizontally in the machine without varying the inclination of shaft 27 to the horizontal, thereby securing proper registration of the wire, while being bent, with the spaces between successive pins 8.

Under some circumstances it is desirable that the bending member swing more to one side of the central median plane of the machine than to the other side thereof, as in producing a non-symmetrical stay. For this purpose the sheave 35 is rotatably adjustable on the axis or shaft 27, aset-screw or other clamping means 60 being provided to secure the sheave adjustably upon the shaft. This same adjustment also permits the swing of the bender to be made the same on both sides of the machine.

Both the angular and the horizontal ad to the shaft 27, while member 89 is provided with a set screw 61 to adjustably secure it to the shaft in different"positions. The change in length of the flexible driving member 36 between the sector 41 and sheave 35 may be taken care of by a rotative' and longitudinal movement of the sheave 35 on the shaft 27.

The machine described is very simpleand comprises but a few parts and is not likely to get out of order. The bending member 29 serves both to guide the wire to the pins 8 and to bend it around the same. The various adjustments which may be given to the bender and guide permit the loops oreyes in the finished stay to be formed of any shape or with anyproportions and with varymg degreesof inclination to the'planeof the finished stay and of overla pping one upon another. i l

we Obviously, the machine shown can be operated as well when placed on end or in other positions, as in the position shown, and the terms of description employed herein and referring to the positions of the parts or directions of movement thereof are not to be understood as limiting the invention to the exact form or arrangement of machine shown. 7

What I claim is I 1. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, and a wire bending member arranged to oscillate from side to side of said machine and alternately bend the wire around said pins.

2.1a a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, and an oscillating bending member having its axisin the median line of the machine and arranged to oscillate around said axis and alternately bend the wire around said pins.

3. In a wire stay forming machine, the

combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, and an oscillating bending member having an axis in the central median plane of the machine and inclined to. the plane of the finished stay, said member being arranged to oscillate around said axis and alternately bend the wire around said pins. 1

a. In a Wire stay forming machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating bending member having an axis in the central median plane of the machine and inclined to the plane of the finished stay, said member being arranged to oscillate around said axis and bend the wire around said pins, and means whereby the inclination of said axis to the plane of the stay may be varied.

5. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-f rming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, and an oscillating bending member having its in the median line of the machine and arranged to oscillate around said axis and bend the wire around said pins, said member being so mounted as to be bodily adjustable with relation to said pins.

6. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft, an arm on said shaft, and a hollow guide and bender on said arm arranged to swing from side to sideof the machine and bend the wire around said pins.

7. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers there for arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft, an arm on said shaft, a hollow guide and bender on said arm arranged to swing from side to side of the machine and bend the wire around said pins, and means whereby said hollow guide may be adjusted toward and from said pins to vary the distance therebetween.

ln a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating bending member having its axis in the median line of the machine and arranged to oscillate around said axis and bend the wire around said f 1 means for oscillating said member, and means for varying the amplitude of oscillation of said member.

9. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft, an arm carrying a bender thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, and means whereby said shaft may be adjusted endwise in its support.

10. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop-forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft having its axis inclined to the plane of the fab ric being formed, an arm carrying a bender thereon, means for oscillating said shaft, and means whereby said shaft may be adjusted endwise in its support.

11. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, a standard supporting said carriers, a bearing member carried by said standard, an oscillating shaft in said member with its axis inclined to that of the finished article, and means for adjusting said bearing member on said standard to vary said inclination.

12. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft carrying a guide and bender for bending the wire around said pins, a sheave on said shaft, and flexible driving means connected to said sheave and arranged to rotate the same and oscillate said bender from side to side of the machine.

13. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, an oscillating shaft carrying a guide and bender for bending the Wire around said pins, a sheave on said shaft, and flexible driving means connected to said sheave and arranged to rotate the same and oscillate said bender from side to side of the machine, said sheave being rotatably adjustable on said shaft.

1 f. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, a shaft carrying a bender arranged to oscillate from sine to side of said machine to bend the wire around said pins, :1 sheave on said shaft, a second shaft, a pair of sheaves thereon, a flexible driving member passing around said pair of sheaves in opposite directions, and means connected to said flexible member for oscillating said bender shaft.

15. In a wire bending machine, the combination of loop forming pins, carriers therefor arranged to raise and lower the same alternately, a shaft carrying a bender arranged to oscillate from side to side of said machine to bend the wire around said pins, a sheave on said shaft, a second shaft, a pair of sheaves thereon, a flexible driving member passing around said pair of sheaves in opposite directions, means connected to said flexible member for oscillating said bender shaft, means for bodily adjusting said bender shaft to vary the position of said bender with relation to said pins, and means for rotatably adjusting one of said pair of sheaves on said second-named shaft.

16. In a wire bending machine, the combination of two loop-forming pins, carriers member being operative to bend the wire therefor arranged to raise and lower the back and forth alternately around said same alternately, and a movable member pins. arranged to alternately bend the wire first In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 around one pin and then around the other. set my hand. 1

17. In a wire bending machine, the com- JOHN F KITCHEN bination of loop-forming pins, carriers a therefor arranged to raise and lower the Witnesses: I same alternately, and a movable hollow T. F. CHARLTON, 10 member through which the wire is fed, said F. F. SCOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). C. 1 

